Always Here
by Victoriousjadefan
Summary: "Why did you replace me?" Cat asked, her voice barely audible. "I never replaced you, Cat." Jade replied, staring Cat right in the eye. "But, you never hang out with me anymore. You always-" "Nobody could ever replace you, Cat." Jade clarified. / You never know what you really have until you lose it. Cade.


Always Here, A Victorious FanFic

Caterina Valentine walked into Hollywood Arts' with her best friend, Jade, on her arm.

"You like Beck!" Cat exclaimed, a huge smile plastered on her face. "That's so awesome!"

"Sshhhh!" Jade hissed. "Announce it to the whole school why don't you?!"

"Sorry," Cat hung her head down sadly, "I'm just really happy for you, Jadey."

Jade winced at the nickname Cat had given her, but decided to ignore it. "Whatever."

"Seriously," the smile on Cat's face returned, "It's really cool. You're first crush!"

"It's not a 'crush'," Jade retorted, "It's…" Cat gestured for her to continue. "It's nothing."

"No it's not!" Cat shrieked, causing Jade to send her one of her famous death glares.

"Cat, be quiet. Really, it's nothing."

They walked in silence for a few moments, until they reached Jade's scissor-covered locker.

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this. It's not like he'd go out with me, anyway." Jade sighed taking her books out of her locker.

"Ask him!"

"What?"

"Beck, ask him out!" Cat urged. She never knew that in the future, she would regret ever saying that.

"No… Aren't the boys supposed to ask the girls out, anyway?" Jade inquired, linking her arm back with Cat's.

"That's just what everybody says. It's not true." Cat clarified.

"Whatever. I'm still not asking him out."

"As long as you're happy." Cat smiled. Jade smiled, too.

.

.

.

"Hello?"

"Cat? It's Jade."

"OMG! Jadey!" Cat sat straight up in her bed. "What happened? Was it fun? Tell me everything!"

Tonight was the night Jade had gone out with Beck. Cat called it a date, whereas Jade called it simply 'hanging out'. A little after Jade had told Cat she had a 'crush' on Beck, he had asked her out. Jade knew Cat had something to do with it, even though Cat had denied it when Jade asked.

"It was… fine."

"Wait, I'm going to put you on speaker phone." Cat told her best friend while pressing a button on her phone. "Now, I'm sure it was better than fine."

"Okay, it was good."

"So… do you really like him?" Cat crossed her legs eager to hear what her friend would say.

"Don't tell ANYONE I said this, but yeah. I think I do, Cat."

Cat smiled widely. "That is soooo great! Are you guys like… a thing?"

"I don't think so." Jade replied. "We never talked about it."

"Well what did you talk about?"

"I don't know," Cat heard some rustling in the background, "stuff."

"Oh. Okay."

"Yep. We're going out again tomorrow night."

Cat's smile turned into a frown. "_Tomorrow _night?"

"That's what I said." Jade stated while chewing some food.

"But Jadey, that's our night! We always see a movie together Sunday nights, always!"

"Chill, Cat. I'll only be missing one movie night. We'll go to the movies next week, I promise."

Cat reached over to grab her stuffed giraffe from her bedside table. "Promise you'll never miss another movie night again?"

"Cat-"

"Please?" She interrupted.

"Whatever. I promise. I have to go now. Bye."

"Bye, Jadey." Cat said sadly as she hung up not only the phone, but also some of her friendship with Jade.

.

.

.

"Really!" Cat exclaimed, holding the phone to her ear. "That's awesome! Thank you so much!" She hung up with a smile. Earlier that month Cat had auditioned for a role in a small movie they were filming in her area. Apparently, she had gotten it.

Still smiling, Cat reached for her pear phone. She couldn't simply keep this new to herself! Bouncing up and down, she scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she was looking for.

"Hi. I'm not going to tell you who this is because, well, if you're calling me obviously you know who I am. If you don't, then you're an idiot. So, leave a message or don't. Whatever." Beeepppp.

Cat frowned and hung up her phone. Of course Jade didn't answer. Why would she?

After Beck and Jade became Beck&Jade, Cat had grown apart from her best friend. It went from only having a movie night once a month to not having one at all. They didn't even speak to each other during school or sit together at lunch. Jade was too absorbed in Beck to care about Cat.

Sure, Cat could tell some of her other friends, like Andre, Robbie and Tori. But what were they compared to Jade? Nothing.

But, what was she compared to Beck? Apparently, nothing.

This realization hit Cat, hard. Unlike old times when they would hang out every Sunday, sit together at lunch every school day, call each other every night to fill the other in on what was happening in their lives, or have sleepovers every Friday, Jade didn't _want _her anymore. She didn't _need _her. She had Beck.

If Jade had Beck, then who did Cat have? The answer: Nobody.

.

.

.

"I saw you! You were flirting with her!" Jade exclaimed, slamming Beck's RV door shut.

"I was not!" Beck defended. "Maggie is my partner for the science project!"

"Riiight. Science. That's really all that's going on, isn't it?"

"Yes!" Beck exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.

"Liar." Jade spat, sitting down on his Beck.

"What did you call me?" His tone was harsh.

"You heard me." Jade retorted. "Liar."

"Get out."

"What?" Jade sputtered, her eyes wide.

"I said get out. We're done." Beck replied, pointing to the door. His eyes were cold.

Fighting back tears, Jade got up and opened the door. "Whatever." Was all she managed to get out as she slammed the door shut.

Realizing she didn't have a ride, Jade sighed. The tears finally started to fall freely down her face. She had given everything to him, and what had she got in return? This.

Without even bothering to see who it was, Jade pressed number one on her speed dial.

"Hello?" As soon as she realized who she had called, she froze. It was Cat. She hadn't talked to her in ages. Jade was almost positive Cat would turn Jade down for a ride. After all, Jade had basically ditched her.

"Who is this?" Wiping away a tear, Jade hung up. After debating with herself for a few moments, Jade decided to walk home. She needed time to think, anyway.

Jade tried to think, about school, about writing, even about Beck. But she couldn't. The only thing Jade could think about was Cat. Her voice ran through her head, as if it were mocking her.

Cat. Her former best friend. No, scratch that, _sister._ Cat had been there for Jade through thick and thin, hard and soft. Their friendship had been the thing Jade treasured most. And what had she done with it? Threw it away, as if it were worth nothing more than the dirt on the bottom of her shoe.

Jade angrily kicked a pebble. Cat was the only thing she truly had, and now what did she have? No one. Nothing.

She wished then and there that she could take everything back. Every movie night she canceled, every text she ignored and every call she never answered. Sure, Jade could have found someone else, another friend. It may take a while, but it would be possible. The only thing was, Jade didn't _want _anyone else. She wanted her best friend back. She wanted Cat.

But wishing doesn't do any good, does it?

.

.

.

"Are you Jade West?" A man, who sounded like he was in his late 30's, asked through the phone.

"Yes," Jade paused. "Why?"

"I'm calling because of Caterina Valentine. She got into an accident this morning. A drunk driver hit her. She's at the hospital as we speak."

Jade froze. She could barely think. Cat was at the hospital? "Wh-why are you calling me?"

"You're number one on her contact list."

.

.

.

"I'm here to see Caterina Valentine." Jade chocked out, more tears threatening to fall. She had arrived at the hospital only minutes after she received the call.

"Room 32B, second floor." The lady smiled. Jade almost scoffed. How could this lady be smiling?

In two minutes flat, Jade had found Cat's room. She knocked.

"Wh-who's there?" A tiny voice asked.

"It's, it's me, Cat." Jade stepped into view. "May I come in?"

"Jadey?" Cat asked, unsure if Jade was actually there or if she was just hallucinating. Jade nodded. "Of course."

Hesitantly, Jade walked up the Cat's bed and pulled up a chair. Very slowly, she sat down.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I'm so, so sorry." Jade breathed, and then burst into tears.

"This wasn't your fault. It was the-"

"Not the accident," Jade cut Cat off. "For ditching you."

"Oh," Cat looked down, tears staring to enter her eyes. "I'm sorry too."

There was a moment of silence, finally broken by Cat.

"Why did you replace me?" Cat asked, her voice barely audible.

"I never replaced you, Cat." Jade replied, staring Cat right in the eye.

"But, you never hang out with me anymore. You always-"

"I love… loved Beck. But Beck isn't _you. _He could never be you. Nobody could ever replace you, Cat." Jade clarified.

"I-I love you, Jadey. You're my bestest friend ever." Cat chocked out, obviously in a lot of pain.

"Even now?" Jade asked hesitantly.

"Even now." Cat smiled. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"Hey Cat?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

.

.

.

A few days later, Cat had died. At first, Jade was in shock. Her best friend, the person that had always had her back even after she had left her hanging, was gone. And not just for a small vacation, forever.

"She's not gone forever." Tori told Jade as they sat down together on Tori's couch. After Cat's passing, Tori had become more considerate of Jade. Let's just say they were friends. But not best friends. No one could or would _ever _replace Cat.

"What do you mean? Of course she is. You saw her body, Tori! You saw her get buried and yet you can tell me she's still here?!" Jade snapped, tears running down her face.

"She is still here, Jade. She's not here physically, but she's here."

"What are you talking about, Tori?" Jade asked, wiping some tears off of her face.

"Just because we can't see her, doesn't mean she can't see us. Cat is here, Jade. She'll always be here. In fact, she never left."

As soon as Tori had uttered those words, the doorbell rang. Tori got up to answer it. Jade followed.

"Are you Jade West?" A man, probably a mailman, asked Tori as soon as she opened the door.

"I'm Jade West." Jade raised her hand a tiny bit to indicate that she was indeed Jade and not Tori.

"Oh. Well, this is for you." The man held out a medium-sized package. Jade took it.

"Who's it from?" Jade inquired, examining the box.

"I don't know. Well, I'd better be heading off. Have a good day, girls."

"You too!" Tori called out as she closed the door. "What is it, Jade?"

"I don't know."

"Open it."

Jade did as she was told. She ripped open the package, revealing a basket.

"A basket?" Jade asked, confused. "What kind of gift is this?"

"Look inside." Tori urged. Jade glanced inside, gasping at what she saw. Inside the basket, was none other than five red-velvet cupcakes. Cat's favorite.

"I knew she was here." Tori breathed, as Jade stared at the cupcakes in awe. So Tori _was _right. Cat was looking over them, and the package had just proved it.

"Thank you." Jade whispered so quietly that Tori couldn't even hear. "For being there for me, always."

And as Tori reached for a cupcake from the basket, Jade could have sworn she heard a voice say 'You're welcome'.

_Even when all hope is lost, _

_And I can't find my way,_

_You'll be there to guide me,_

_Each and every day._

_And when I want to quit,_

_Give up everything I've done,_

_You'll be there beside me,_

_While I'm the storm cloud, you're the sun. _

**A/N: I don't really know how hospitals work all that well so sorry if I got anything wrong. When Cat and Jade said they loved each other, they meant it in a friendship way although if you want to see it as romantic go ahead. Kay this is my first Cade one-shot. I was kind of aiming for a sad one but this isn't that sad at all, is it?**

**Anyways, thanks for reading and PLEASE review. I need to know if this story sucked or not. Your opinion matters to me! Oh, yes I wrote the tiny poem at the end. Yes I know it sucks. So… please review and I will update my other stories soon!**

'**Till whenever,**

**-Victoriousjadefan :] **


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